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Wittenberg University Students Selected for U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

Springfield, Ohio—Reflecting Wittenberg’s dedication to global citizenship, Tiana Cherry, class of 2014 from Lancaster, Texas, has been selected for the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program to study Urdu in India during the 2014 summer.

A political science, international studies and Spanish triple major, Cherry is among approximately 550 undergraduate and graduate students selected to spend seven to ten weeks in intensive language institutes. The CLS Program provides fully-funded, group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to increase language fluency and cultural competency.

Taking advantage of the many opportunities Wittenberg has to offer, Cherry carried a heavy load both in and out of the classroom as she completed three majors in addition to studying abroad in both Costa Rica and Chile, holding an internship in Washington, D.C., and attending the Student Conference on U.S. Affairs at West Point Military Academy in New York, where she made policy recommendations regarding stability in the Middle East. Cherry also served on Student Senate and served as both the Class of 2014 President and the Concerned Black Students Senator, along with serving as manager of the Center for Diversity.

A program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the CLS Program offers intensive summer language institutes overseas for 13 critical-need foreign languages. The selection process was administered by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), with awards approved by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical-need foreign languages. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

“I aspire to secure a legal position that enables me to use my language skills, educational background, critical evaluation, and leadership abilities in a growth-oriented environment that empowers me to become an asset to any organization,” Cherry says.

Following the program, Cherry will pursue a Juris Doctorate in International Law at the College of William and Mary.